How they line up: Projected lineups for NJ Devils and Rangers

New York Rangers goaltender Alexandar Georgiev (40) defends his net through a screen by New Jersey Devils center Nico Hischier (13) during the second period at Prudential Center.(Photo11: Ed Mulholland, Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports)

NEWARK -- Good morning from Newark, where the Devils are holding an optional morning skate ahead of this season’s first edition of the Hudson River Rivalry.

It’s a quiet morning at Prudential Center with the Devils holding an optional morning skate and the Rangers electing to skip the skate completely. However, the Devils are confident the rivalry will be as heated as ever once the puck drops. While the two teams may be down toward the bottom in the Metropolitan Division standings, positioning matters little in a raucous building with an intense atmosphere.

Jan 28, 2019; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; New Jersey Devils center Travis Zajac (19) celebrates after scoring a goal with left wing Miles Wood (44) against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the first period at PPG PAINTS Arena.(Photo11: Charles LeClaire, Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sport)

“They’re always competitive games no matter where you are in the standings and where you are in the season,” Devils’ alternate captain Travis Zajac said. “It’s just always been like that.”

Zajac has played in a lot of these rivalry games throughout the years and has put up 30 points over 59 of them.

Mackenzie Blackwood was recalled to back up Keith Kinkaid in net. Coach John Hynes was encouraged by his play in Pittsburgh on Monday night and wants to see if he can build on that success and turn it into a winning streak. As far as the defensemen playing in front of Kinkaid, the Devils haven’t quite finalized the lineup but Mirco Mueller, Steven Santini and Egor Yakovlev will all play with Sami Vatanen and Ben Lovejoy out with injuries. Yakovlev and Santini skated together with Butcher and Mueller on the same pair in two practices this week so I would expect those pairs to stick at least to start.

Yakovlev, a 27-year-old KHL veteran, has been somewhat turnover prone in the 11 NHL games he’s played and even in the 12 American Hockey League games to some extent. Hynes is hoping to see some better decision-making in order to eliminate those giveaways.

“When you’re going back for pucks in the NHL, it’s important to understand just how quick you need to go back and that your decisions have to be a little bit quicker,” Hynes said. “I think when he’s had some time and space he has the ability to move the puck. But it’s in those situations where there’s heavy pressure or not a lot of time and space it’s understanding what your passing options are right away.”

NEWSLETTERS

Get the Fire and Ice newsletter delivered to your inbox

We're sorry, but something went wrong

All the news about the New Jersey Devils, from training camp to the regular season and Stanley Cup playoffs.

Yakovlev needs to know when to pass the puck and when to keep it with smaller ice.

“Sometimes if you’re under heavy duress it may be better to eat the puck and keep it and create a battle situation, as opposed to thinking you need to move the puck all the time under heavy duress,” Hynes said. “And that’s an adjustment for a player coming over from Russia. You don’t have that same type of intensity and forecheck pressure that you do in the NHL.”

Here are the projected lineups for the Devils and Rangers based on practice lineups.

New York Rangers right wing Mats Zuccarello (36) celebrates his goal as New Jersey Devils defenseman Damon Severson (28) reacts during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Dec. 9, 2017, at Madison Square Garden in New York.(Photo11: Bill Kostroun, AP)